5 foods to reduce Stress
The word “Stress” is often used loosely to describe a variety of feelings: anxiety, anger, frustration, and even happiness. Stress is the feeling we get when we are unable to cope with the demands of the environment.
Stress can affect both physical and mental health, and it can also have serious consequences on our relationships. It has been found that stress causes several illnesses such as heart disease, digestive disorders, depression, high blood pressure, ulcers and even cancer.
We know that stress is bad for us but what are the most common ways stress affects our bodies? Some common symptoms of stress are headaches, insomnia, weight gain or loss, muscle tension and stomach problems. In fact, stress may be killing us as it has been shown that stress is responsible for more than half of all visits to the doctor in our country!
This section will explore how to mitigate Stress with our food choices
Stress & Food
There are many ways to reduce stress but one of the easiest ways is to eat healthy foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber. These nutrients help combat the effects of stress such as anxiety and fatigue because they increase serotonin levels in the brain which helps regulate moods.
Take a look at the following list of foods that can help regulate stress
- Herbal Teas:
Herbal Teas such as Green Tea, Chamomile Tea, Lavender Tea, etc induce warmth and tend to have a calming effect on those who drink them. They are full of flavonoids that support brain health. They can also protect neurons against injury induced by neurotoxins, suppress neuroinflammation, and promote memory, learning, and cognitive functions
- Whole Grains:
Carbohydrates are proven to elevate mood since they can trigger the serotonin hormone which is linked to the reduction of stress. Once serotonin levels are increased, people under stress have better concentration and focus. When choosing carbs its best to choose complex carbs since simple carbs are known to spike and crash sugar levels quickly. Complex carbs have vitamins, minerals and are rich in fiber so they take longer to digest and assimilate in the system which will be a gradual impact on sugar levels. Let’sLive has an array of whole grain products like traditional Rices and Millets which you can order today
- Nuts:
Nuts such as Pistachios, Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts etc are high in healthy fatty acids amongst other nutrients. They help to lower blood pressure and boost brain functions. They can help calm moderate to mild anxiety conditions
- Citrus fruits & Berries:
Studies have found that Vitamin C helps to ease stress levels and prevents anxiety. Citrus fruits and berries such as Oranges, Grapefruits, Strawberries are rich in Vitamin C so make sure to make them part of your staple diet
- Fermented & Probiotic foods:
Gut health has a direct correlation in improving depression, anxiety, stress etc. Foods that are fermented and containing probiotic bacteria help improve digestion and thus gut health. Our Indian foods like Dosa, Idli etc are excellent since the batter is fermented before preparing. Yogurt that prepare in our households is full of probiotic and should be consumed everyday
Conclusion
Diet is not just about what you eat, it is also about how you think. If you want to stay healthy, physically and mentally choose foods that will help in your overall wellbeing
Let’sLive Products
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About Let’sLive
Let’sLive is a social empowerment enterprise committed to enhancing and improving the livelihoods of tribal and farming communities. We work directly with small-scale farmers so that our customers can get access to products that are natural, pristine, and picked from the lap of nature. We encourage and provide advice for practicing ethical farming and eco-friendly methods to all those who partner with us.
At Let'sLive we are passionate about bringing 100% all-natural and healthy products directly from the farming and tribal communities to your doorstep like Pure Raw Honey, Traditional varieties of rice, etc. We want our consumers to enjoy and have direct access to products that are pristine and picked directly from the lap of nature. The mandates by which we operate are:
* Value every life around us by encouraging ethical farming
* Leverage local knowledge and promote legacy harvesting practices with high hygienic standards
* No preservatives or artificial processing on any of our products
* Each product can be traced to its origins and the people involved in its making
* Educate consumers on the importance of consuming rich and natural local produce